Watching
by Leave-All-The-Gold
Summary: Martha/Riley,'42'. Alternative ending. It's amazing the things you can ignore when you're about to die. Or rather, it's amazing the things you TRY to ignore when you're about to die. It was hard not to notice the sweat disappearing down into his collar...


This is my take on season three's episode '42'. Personally, I love the character Riley, and I think his brief romantic inclinations towards Martha were sweet. So there's a slight alternate ending, which makes a brilliant mess in terms of continuation, but it's fun to dream a little. You can pretend the rest of the really cool Martha stuff happens with someone else, if that makes you feel better. So here it is...

It's amazing some of the things you can ignore when you're positive you're about to die. Or rather, it's amazing some of the things you _try_ to ignore when you're positive you're about to die. The whole inside of the ship was burning up and Martha was standing with Riley as they worked to unlock what seemed like a hundred doors. Well, there was only really thirty doors, but those thirty doors sealed away their hope for survival. Everywhere she looked she saw steam, there sweat was rolling down her back and Riley was desperately jabbing at the tiny control buttons on the wall.

She was watching him, Riley, when she noticed how profusely he was sweating too, and she felt something hot, warmer then the air around them, flutter in her stomach and she swallowed thickly as she saw a bead of sweat run down the back of his neck, vanishing into his collar. He wrenched himself away from the controls and she put aside her momentary uneasiness. They flew through the now opened doors.

Riley was watching Martha as she talked on her phone, a silly, old looking thing, and something stirred in his chest as he watched her. She was so obviously torn. She loved her mother, that was clear, but the urgency of the situation made her speak harshly. Martha looked over at him momentarily and he could see how much regret she felt already of speaking that way to her mother. It reminded him of the way he talked with his own mother, and how it wasn't _her_ stubbornness that had kept them from seeing each other for the last six years. It seemed sad now, to think that she may never know how much she meant to him. It was sad to think he might die a lonely man. He tried to ignore the feeling (which was too close to regret for his liking) and was shocked out of his reverie by Martha's sudden exclamation of "Elvis!" They rushed through the next door, and he got to work once more. No need for regretful thoughts at a time like this. Not when they were about to die. He needed to think. What was Korwins brother's middle name again?

Martha was looking again. It was getting hotter and her heart was pounding faster than ever. Not that this should be any real news. Adrenaline rushes were certainly a normal thing when you were facing death. In fact, it was really unusual for her to be thinking so calmly when she was feeling so physically flustered. Her mind was working just fine, but her hands were all clumsy and fumbling for a hold on the door wheel. She was panicked, and it was either their soon-to-be-death that made her uneasy, or the sweat that made Riley's shirt stick possessively to his body. She was trying; really she was trying, to look away as he fought the door's control systems. But it was tremendously difficult. She looked over again just as Riley rushed towards the door. Despite all her overactive survival instincts to move as quickly as possible, she lingered for the tiniest of seconds to brush skin against skin as he rushed past. She slammed the heavy magnetic wheel into the next door, feeling more than a little light headed. It could be the heat you know, or the adrenaline or even dehydration. She was hesitant to think that in such a dire situation she would be thinking about such ridiculous things as the brush of his naked arm. She was absolutely not thinking about things like that at all.

She took the quickest of looks behind her as she leaned up against the metal door, and a dark blush rushed over her cheeks as she caught the eye of the dirty and somehow enticing man. She turned back quickly towards the door, eyes cast down and embarrassed. If she'd looked for a moment longer, she would have noticed the man blushing as well, a similar look in his eyes.

Riley was more than a little embarrassed. Concentrate! Concentrate! His mind was working as quickly as possible on the quiz questions, but another part of his mind was racing wildly at the thought of a moment ago, the overheated skin burning against arm. He looked over at her to see her glance back at him and then look away quickly. His eyes darkened. Then he shook his head. Mind on the mission Riley, he thought, berating his inappropriate mental activities. Mind on the mission. She might be beautiful, but we need to survive... Those other thoughts can come later.

Beautiful...

They rushed through the next door, and absently, Riley noticed he had somehow managed to place his hand on the small of her back, urging her forward this time as the clock ticked on. There wasn't much time left.

How could he be so calm? Martha was in a panicked state, and she didn't think she would ever feel this desperate. She had screamed and banged at the glass as they were ejected into space, and though it was completely useless, it was all she could do to keep her mind from going to pieces. And there was Riley, sitting right next to her, a strange look in his eye as he tried to calm her down, tried to get her to accept it all. He was so strong, to sit there, looking at the controls as though still trying to think of something, trying his hardest not to give up even though he had just told her it was hopeless. There was something about him that made her think survival was possible, even though there was no visible way to get through this. She smiled slightly. The Doctor was back on the ship, an incomprehensible message being shouted from his lips, and even if she could never see him again, even if he never got her home, she was happy she could meet the end of her life with someone like the man sitting next to her. At least she wasn't going to die alone.

They had been talking about their parents. It was expected really, that when staring death in the eye you think about the people close to you. Riley had never gotten the chance to make amends with his mother, he wasn't even sure if he'd ever find another way to contact her, and in a moment, he realised that Martha could still say goodbye. She could still tell her family that she loved them.

"Call them" he said. If he couldn't say goodbye, at least such a girl as Martha would have a chance. He watched as she talked on the phone with her mother, tears slowly streaming down her face. It had been almost heartbreaking to see her fight against the thick plastic of the shuttle window, shrieking out as though that doctor could hear her. She was so full of spirit, and a strange, steadying calmness as she managed to speak over the phone through her tears, not letting on to her mother that she was dying.

It was strange, how calm he felt now. Really, why wasn't he trying his best like the woman next to him? She was so passionate, caring and still doing her best to keep hope. At least, here at the end, he wouldn't die alone. It would be nice, to have someone next to him in his last moments, someone like the woman sitting next to him.

Martha clicked off the phone, unable to say any more. There was no goodbye, or any way of saying she might not be coming back. It was harsh, to leave her family without any closure of her disappearance, thinking that at any time she might turn up at home again. But it was hard, too hard to tell her that she may never get home. She was still glad she'd called. She may not have, not without Riley's suggestion, and she may never have had the courage to dial, afraid her mother might not be there, or that the conversation might end in an argument like it had many times before.

As the phone flipped to a close, she felt arms wrap around her and pull her into a warm hug. It was unexpected, and immediately she felt d it's effect as the tears started welling in her eyes.

And they fell.

The wet droplets fell silently down her face as the firm presence behind her gave her comfort. A small grief overtook her and she clung to the arms of the man hugging her. Holding onto Riley for dear life.

Riley wasn't sure what to do. After her phone call, she had seemed so lost. He wasn't really thinking when he pulled her close; it had seemed the natural thing to do. It was the decent thing to do, to provide comfort. However he hadn't been expecting to find any comfort himself, and as she clung to him now, he could do nothing to prevent the tears that fell down his face too. What could he possibly have left to hope for, when such a strong woman was now weeping in his arms? Only a minute or two had passed in this capsule, and it seemed like an eternity had passed.

Looking down at her face, he kissed her on the forehead, feeling protective of her. He had doubted her hope of the Doctor's possible rescue attempt, but as seconds passed, he found hope creeping slowly in, and soon, there was nothing left to hope for except the chance they might be saved. It wasn't long before he too, had to be sure the Doctor was going to save them. He would just have to hold her tight until the time came. Surely, if she could still have even the tiniest speck of hope left, he should too. So he began to hope, along with her that this Doctor man would come, and that he and Martha would both be safe.

A minute or two seemed like forever when waiting to die, and everything seemed to be going ever so slowly as though she suddenly had control over time itself, making it slow down and increasing the suspense of every moment. How long would it take to die? How long would it be until they were beyond all hope? Did his lips really linger after he gently kissed her forehead, and would she still feel his breath against her skin when the sun was burning them beyond any recognition? She clung on tighter, waiting and waiting, but clinging to the hope and the safety that seemed possible when being held by such strong arms.

It was impossible. He still wasn't sure how it had happened. He was still standing. Time had passed, nearly an hour now as their ship sat safely away from the sun. It seemed almost impossible now that the incident had ever happened at all, as though the adrenaline was all a dream, and the crazy events that had happened minutes ago were just words in a story book. Riley was standing with the remnants of the crew, the Doctor, and Martha. His eyes seemed glued on the dark skinned woman who stood confidently next to the unusual big blue box. It was a ridiculous size for a space ship, and for some reason he was uncomfortable about the idea of the Doctor and Martha travelling together at such close proximity. He was trying to deny it, but the feeling tasted a little bit like jealousy and he couldn't help but hope that it wasn't cramped, and was in fact, roomy enough for them to at least have two separate chairs. Or by some miracle the box would be bigger on the inside. Unfortunately, this was extremely unlikely.

He looked at her again, feeling a little bit of hope that maybe, if she had to leave, he would see her again someday. Preferably soon. You know, like maybe tomorrow, or even better, later on today. He was thoroughly surprised, however, when she flung herself at him and mashed their lips together. It was... almost... kind of... Wow.

Martha knew she wasn't being reasonable; she had to go home, really. She needed her family to know she was alright, she wanted to be a doctor, she had to go home and finish her studying, and yet there was something about this man. She had kept looking at him as they all made the final arrangements for the ship, making sure it would be able to fly away at the soonest possible time. He looked at her every once in a while as well, with a look that she couldn't quite fathom.

It was just as they were about to say their last goodbyes when she decided she couldn't handle it. There was something in his eyes when he asked, asked if he would ever see her again. Her answer seemed to break his heart, and the look in his face broke hers too. There was nothing she could do really, and if she was going to leave, she would at least give them both something a little bit special. At least, that was her way of rationalising it afterwards. At the very moment however, there was nothing she could do to stop herself as she flung herself at his lips, grasping onto his hair and pulling him close. It was... almost... kind of... Wow.

The Doctor wasn't blind, in fact he was very proud of how no one was ever quite as perceptive as he was. Time Lord Pride, if you want to call it that. So of course being the ever observant being that he was, he was quite aware of the sudden attachment between his new companion and the crew member Riley Vashtee. Martha was a clever girl, but was more than aware of a human's ability to let go of the things they needed most. So it was when Martha re-entered his ship, looking slightly flushed that he raised his eyebrows. Briefly of course, and rapidly, he mentioned briefly her amazing mobile that could keep in contact with her family from anywhere, and that it was very possible in this time and solar system for her to continue her study of medicine.

He watched her closely. It seemed to take a minute for her to realise what he was saying and when she opened her mouth next, he was almost positive of what she was going to say next.

"But... you'll be all on your own."

Of course the silly humans all felt that way. True, he did tend to feel very alone, but he made friends as easily as enemies, and he had lived with loneliness for a long time already. Humans weren't designed to be on their own. Time Lords were always a solitary bunch, even when they lived all squashed in the same old, millennia after millennia. Instead of giving her the usual long winded response that usually burbled to his lips, he just smiled and waved her off. She caught him by surprise when she attacked him with a giant hug. Within a moment she was out the door of the Tardis again. He certainly didn't need to look on his monitor to know to whose lips she was now attached and he didn't need speakers to tell him that the two would be exclaiming great happy words back and forth. There was something about dire situations that brought people together in a way that nothing else could. He had his superior Time Lord senses. Somehow, he knew they'd be happy.

He allowed himself a brief smile, and then his moment of sentimentality faded away. Something caught his eye on the Tardis console, and faster than light, he was off, leaving the love crazed humans behind.


End file.
